Megyn Kelly Criticizes Biden’s “Garbage” Comment on Trump Supporters, Suggesting Mental Decline
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images
In a recent interview with The New York Post, media host Megyn Kelly sharply criticized President Joe Biden for labeling supporters of former President Donald Trump as “garbage,” suggesting the remark signals a possible decline in the president’s mental acuity. Speaking candidly, Kelly argued that the 81-year-old Biden might be “suffering from some dementia,” which, she claimed, has diminished his inhibitions and led him to express his thoughts more openly.
Biden’s controversial statement, “The only garbage I see floating out there is [Donald Trump’s] supporters,” sparked backlash, drawing comparisons to previous comments made by Democratic leaders that have similarly alienated Republican voters. Kelly recalled instances when former President Barack Obama described rural conservatives as “bitter clingers” in 2008 and Hillary Clinton referred to Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables” in 2016. Kelly asserted, “It was just the latest in a long line of insults that the Democrats have had about Republican voters.”
Kelly pointed to Biden’s comment as part of a larger trend of disparaging rhetoric, stating, “They’ve been calling Trump a fascist and a Nazi and a white supremacist, and now we’ve devolved into garbage. We’re all garbage—anybody who voted for Donald Trump.” Her criticism touched on what she perceives as a persistent double standard among Democrats, suggesting that such language deepens the rift between the parties.
In response to the uproar, Biden’s representatives clarified on CNN that his “garbage” remark was directed not at Trump supporters but at comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who, during a recent Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, referred to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage.” According to Biden’s team, the president’s speech impediment—a lifelong stutter—may have contributed to the perceived miscommunication. However, Kelly dismissed this explanation, calling it “a bridge too far.” She stated, “I don’t believe for one second that it was a slip of the tongue [or] inadvertent. We all heard what he said.”
Kelly argued that Biden’s comment inadvertently shifted the media’s focus from Hinchcliffe’s offensive joke back to the president’s remark about Trump supporters, potentially benefiting the Trump campaign by providing a counter-narrative. “They were saved by Joe Biden,” she observed, adding that Biden’s statement gave Trump’s camp an unexpected opportunity to rally his base around perceived elitism in Democratic rhetoric.
In what she described as an ironic twist, Kelly noted, “What’s so beautiful about the controversy is these same media outlets and Democrats who spent 48 hours telling us how deeply wrong it is to refer to any group as garbage…now have a very difficult pivot to make.” Her critique suggested that the backlash could force Biden’s supporters to navigate a challenging public relations landscape, as they justify his remarks in light of their own recent condemnations of similar language.
As Election Day approaches, Biden’s comments and Kelly’s criticism underscore the divisive nature of political rhetoric in the 2024 campaign, with each side scrutinizing the other’s language for potential missteps. For Kelly, Biden’s words represent more than just a rhetorical blunder; she views them as emblematic of a broader narrative among Democrats that could resonate negatively with undecided voters, particularly those sensitive to characterizations of Trump’s base.
